Connie's Cafe/Book Shop

Chapter 5 - Monday

Connie picked up the last book and laid it across the small red table in front of her. There, she thought, all tidy and ready for another day, the children's area looked lovely, clean, bright and exciting.

The morning passed fairly quickly, they had a few customers and managed to sell five books which did in fact make the morning quite successful.

"Connie, new delivery!" Called out Tim. Connie looked across and saw the delivery man entering the door with a large brown box.

"Coming." Connie quickly walked round to greet the delivery man.

"Sign here please." He asked producing a small tablet, "Just here in the middle."

"There you go." answered Connie passing the tablet back after signing. "Thanks"

"Thank you" he replied and left the shop.

"So.... What have you ordered now?" Tim eyed the box inquisitively.

"New best sellers, with a difference!" announced Connie breaking into the box, "These are all from unknown authors. I found the site on the internet, they are an independent book publisher and only publish books from new authors, I thought it might be a good selling point, to have books that no other shop around here has. What do you think?" Connie looked up to Tim with shining eyes.

"Amazing" replied Tim

"What's amazing?"

"You!"

Connie looked up frowning, "What do you mean?" she asked

Tim laughed, "Look I get it, I love books too, but really, you get so excited over new books!"

" You need a life." he added laughing.

Connie laughed, "What can I say! Books are my life!"

Connie started unpacking the books, "Look at these covers, the pictures are awesome, I think I'll make a show in the window, they are bound to attract new customers. Hopefully!"

Connie busied herself arranging the books in the window showcase. She was about half way through when Betty and Pat walked in.

"Afternoon" Betty called up, "What's Connie up to?" she asked.

"Creating a wonderful display of original books which is going to bring in thousands of new customers" Tim answered with a smile.

"I heard that!" called out Connie from the window, "You wait and see!" she added.

"Here you go Pat, here's your coffee and a banana puff, Here you are Betty, I thought you might like this cinnamon swirl" Tim put the coffees and pastries onto the little table that Pat and Betty were sitting themselves down to.

"There finished" declared Connie after a while. "Well, what do you think?" she asked everyone.

"Well we can't really see it properly from inside can we?" replied Betty dryly. "I shall have a look when I leave" she declared.

"Fair enough" answered Connie, turning to Tim she asked "You can handle the place for a couple of hours can't you?"

"Sure, why where're you going?"

"I just want to pop down to the shops to get something for tonight and I feel like treating myself to a new dress." Connie slipped into her jacket and grabbed her bag, "I won't be toolong" she called out as she headed for the door.

As the door closed behind her Pat spoke up, "Tim, does Connie have a boyfriend yet?"

"Connie!" Tim half laughed, "No! I don't think she ever goes out does she?"

They sat silently for a few minutes. Then Betty looked up, "She has everything else, she just needs a boyfriend. It's not right for her to be on her own. She's pretty, smart, has a good figure, she's fun to be with. There isn't any good reason for her to be on her own. She needs to find someone good, someone who will eventually marry her. Now she obviously can't do it herself,so we will have to find one for her!"

"What exactly do you mean?" asked Tim a little nervously.

"Easy, we'll look on those internet sites, or go to one of those chat places, there are lots of things we can do!"

"Oh I don't know" Pat looked around at Tim and Betty, "I don't think we should meddle. Afterall we don't know why she isn't seeing anyone. Maybe she had a bad experience with her last boyfriend and doesn't want to see anyone else right now."

"Nonsense" Replied Betty, Even if she did have a bad experience in the past, she needs to get over it and more forward. Come on let's look through some sites, Tim, you must know all about those retched computers and sites, find us some good sites and some good looking men we don't have long before she get's back!"

They spent the next hour trawling through lots of sites but they couldn't find anyone they liked.

"Enough!" exclaimed Tim. "You seem to be able to criticise everyone you see! No one seems good enough for Connie!"

Just at that moment Connie came back into the shop, "Hi everyone," she called out cheerily.

Tim quickly closed the pages and Betty and Pat guiltily turned round.

"What are you all doing? you look as if you were doing something you shouldn't have been doing" Connie looked at them suspiciously as she approached the counter with her bags, she glanced at the computer which just showed the normal background.

"Oh Tim was just showing us how we can watch the news on the computer, but no, I think I'll stick with the telly, I'm too old to turn to computers" Declared Betty.

"Come on Pat, let's go." she added. "It's late and I want to relax at home."

The put on their jackets and left the shop giving Tim a wink as they left.

Project 'Hunt the Boyfriend' had commenced.